The present invention relates to a metal stud for use in a partition wall having wood plates and the metal studs. The invention also relates to a non-load bearing partition wall constructed of wood plates and the metal studs
It is the common practice in residential and much commercial buildings to separate the various rooms by partition walls to define the spaces of the building. Such partition walls are generally nonload bearing and have in the past been constructed of wood members including top and bottom plates and bridging studs. The use of wood members has its shortcomings. The supply of lumber is getting scarcer and the cost has increased during recent years. In addition wood can warp and go out of shape when it becomes wet as well as beings acceptable to attack by vermin of various kinds.
In recent years partition walls framed with sheet metal members have been employed. The use of sheet metal members provides advantages of dimensional stability, ease of manufacture, and conservation of natural resources among others. However the use of sheet metal framing members has not gained widespread acceptance for various reasons. Load bearing walls constructed of sheet metal members are not generally less expensive than comparable walls framed with wood members. In addition the use of metal framing members requires specialized fastening systems other than the nails which are typically utilized with wood members. While this does not generally present a problem during the framing of the structure the finish carpentry including attaching of trim materials is a problem as there is no proper supporting surface for nailing of the trim member.
There have been attempts to overcome, the above disadvantages by utilizing a composite wall having wood top and bottom plates and sheet metal studs bridging the top and bottom plates. Examples of such prior art structures are given in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,001,993, 5,440,848, and 5,596,859.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,993 to Daniels describes a sheet metal stud having a shape and dimension corresponding substantially to wood studs and a cross-sectional configuration providing for rigidity and dimensional stability. The metal studs are utilized with wood top and bottom plates to which a sheet of particleboard has been attached to the inner surface. The ends of the stud penetrate the particleboard to protect the surface of the wood plates. The studs are provided with extensions on either side for nailing of the stud to the plates. However the metal stud is expensive to manufacture and it is not easy for the framers to construct partition walls utilizing the metal stud as extensions on both sides must lie over the edges of the top and bottom plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,848 describes metal studs to replace vertical wood studs for use of framing of walls or partitions. The ends of the metal studs are provided with a flange on both ends of only one side of the metal stud to lie over one edge of the top and bottom plate and a flange on the web to lie over the inner surface of the top and bottom plate. While the stud is simple to install in partition walls it does not have great dimensional stability even when attached to the plates.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,859 describes a metal wall stud having pre-punched nail or screw holes and pre-punched passageways for electrical or plumbing facilities. The metal stud is provided with integral tabs extending beyond the ends of the stud walls which are foldable to provide connections to wood plates or metal wall stud purlins in the construction framing. The web of the stud is provided with split tabs to provide lateral stabilization, greater uplift loads, and the capability of being load bearing.
There still remains a need for a metal wall stud which usable with wood top and bottom plates to provide for an inexpensive and easy to assemble nonload bearing partition wall.
The present invention is directed to a nonload bearing partition wall comprising spaced apart wood top and bottom plates and a plurality of metal studs bridging the top and bottom plates. The metal studs have U-shaped rectangular cross section with two parallel spaced apart side walls and a central web bridging the side walls and connected to one edge of each of the side walls. The central web has an extension on each end thereof. The extensions are contained within the slots of the top and bottom plates the slots of the top and bottom plates having a depth less than one half the height of the edge of the top and bottom plates. One of the sidewalls has a first extension extending from either end over and attached to the edge of the top and bottom plates. The second side wall has second extensions extending from either end perpendicularly inwardly from the side wall to lie over and be attached to the inner face of the top and bottom plates.